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Regular Session, 2014
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON NO. 69
BY SENATOR MORRISH
CHILDREN. Creates the "Erin's Law" task force.
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTI ON1
To create the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children within the2
Department of Children and Family Services.3
WHEREAS, according to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network, forty-four4
percent of sexual assault and rape victims are under the age of eighteen and fifteen percent5
are under the age of twelve; and6
WHEREAS, girls ages sixteen to nineteen are four times more likely than the general7
population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault; and8
WHEREAS, ninety-three percent of juvenile sexual assault victims know their9
attacker, of which thirty-four percent of those attackers were family members; and10
WHEREAS, one of these victims who was sexually abused by a neighbor and family11
member was Erin Merryn of Illinois; and12
WHEREAS, Erin was sexually abused for six and a half years by a neighbor and a13
family member; and14
WHEREAS, Erin began a crusade her senior year of high school in 2004 to end the15
silence and shame around sexual abuse; and16
WHEREAS, Erin was instrumental in passing a law in her home state of Illinois to17
address sexual abuse of children known as "Erin's Law"; and18 SCR NO. 69
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WHEREAS, Erin has promoted child sexual abuse awareness throughout the United1
States, as well as establishing "Erin's Law" in other states; and2
WHEREAS, establishing a Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of3
Children has been an essential first step to enacting Erin's Law in other states.4
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby5
create the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children within the Department6
of Children and Family Services. The task force shall consist of all of the following:7
(1)Two members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate.8
(2)Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of9
the House of Representatives.10
(3)The secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services or his11
designee.12
(4)The state Superintendent of Education or his designee.13
(5)The secretary of the Department of Health and Hospitals or his designee.14
(6)The executive director of the Louisiana Violence Prevention Authority or his15
designee.16
(7)The Executive Director of the Children's Advocacy Centers of Louisiana17
Association, or his designee.18
(8)One representative of an organization representing law enforcement,19
appointed by the superintendent of State Police.20
(9)One representative of a statewide professional teachers' organization,21
appointed by the head of the Louisiana Association of Educators.22
(10)One representative of a different statewide professional teachers'23
organization, appointed by the head of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers.24
(11)One representative of an organization involved in the prevention of child25
abuse in the state, appointed by the secretary of the Department of Children26
and Family Services.27
(12)One representative of an organization representing school management in28
this state, appointed by the head of the Louisiana Association of School29
Board Executives.30 SCR NO. 69
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(13)Two members of the public appointed by the president of the Senate.1
(14)Two members of the public appointed by the speaker of the House of2
Representatives.3
(15)The child welfare program director from the Department of Children and4
Family Services, or his designee.5
(16)The Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers,6
Louisiana Chapter, or his designee.7
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the task force should be individuals8
who are actively involved in the fields of the prevention of child abuse and neglect and child9
welfare. The appointment of members should reflect the geographic and racial diversity of10
the state.11
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall elect a presiding officer by12
a majority vote of the membership of the task force. The task force shall meet at the call of13
the presiding officer.14
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall make recommendations for15
reducing child abuse in Louisiana. In making those recommendations, the task force shall:16
(1)Gather information concerning child sexual abuse throughout the state.17
(2)Receive reports and testimony from individuals, state and local agencies,18
community-based organizations, and other public and private organizations.19
(3)Create goals for state policy that would prevent child sexual abuse.20
(4)Submit a final report with its recommendations to the legislature by January21
1, 2016.22
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the recommendations may include proposals for23
specific statutory changes and methods to foster cooperation among state agencies and24
between the state and local government.25
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall consult with employees of26
the Department of Children and Family Services, the Department of Justice, the office of27
state police, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Department of28
Education, and any other state agency or department as necessary to accomplish the task29
force's responsibilities.30 SCR NO. 69
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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall serve1
without compensation, except per diem or expense reimbursement to which they may be2
individually entitled as members of the constituent organizations.3
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be abolished upon4
submission of the report to the legislature on January 1, 2016.5
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the6
secretary of the Department of Children and Family Services and Erin Merryn.7
The original instrument was prepared by Alan Miller. The following digest,
which does not constitute a part of the legislative instrument, was prepared
by Thomas L. Tyler.
DIGEST
Morrish SCR No. 69
Creates the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children within the Dept. of
Children and Family Services (DCFS).
The Task Force shall consist of all of the following:
(1)Two members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate.
(2)Two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
House of Representatives.
(3)The secretary of the Dept. of Children and Family Services or his designee.
(4)The superintendent of Education or his designee.
(5)The secretary of the Dept. of Health and Hospitals or his designee.
(6)The executive director of the Louisiana Violence Prevention Authority or his
designee.
(7)One representative of an agency that leads the collaboration of the investigation,
prosecution, and treatment of child sexual and physical abuse cases, appointed by the
secretary of DCFS.
(8)One representative of an organization representing law enforcement, appointed by
the superintendent of State Police.
(9)One representative of a statewide professional teachers' organization, appointed by
the head of the Louisiana Association of Educators.
(10)One representative of a different statewide professional teachers' organization,
appointed by the head of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers.
(11)One representative of an organization involved in the prevention of child abuse,
appointed by the secretary of DCFS.
(12)One representative of an organization representing school management, appointed
by the head of the Louisiana Association of School Board Executives. SCR NO. 69
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(13)Two members of the public appointed by the president of the Senate.
(14)Two members of the public appointed by the speaker of the House of
Representatives.
(15)The child welfare program director from the Department of Children and Family
Services, or his designee.
(16)The Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers, Louisiana
Chapter, or his designee.
Provides that members of the Task Force serve without compensation, except per diem or
expense reimbursement to which they may be individually entitled as members of the
constituent organizations.
Requires that the Task Force be abolished upon submission of its report with
recommendations to the legislature on January 1, 2016.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Senate Floor Amendments to original bill
1. Replaces the representative of an agency that leads the collaboration of the
investigation, prosecution, and treatment of child sexual and physical abuse
cases, appointed by the secretary of DCFS with the executive director of the
Children's Advocacy Centers of Louisiana Association, or his designee on
the task force.
2. Adds the following two members to the task force:
(a)The child welfare program director from the Department of Children
and Family Services, or his designee.
(b)The Executive Director of the National Association of Social
Workers, Louisiana Chapter, or his designee.